Delinter



March 20, 1956 w. G. DAVIS, JR

DELINTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1950 W////am 6. Dav/s, L/n' INVENTOR. 3% Wufl ATTORNEY March 20, 1956 w. G. DAVIS, JR 2,738,553

DELINTER Filed May 1. 95 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WI/llG/TI 6. Dov/s, L/r.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent DELINTER William G. Davis, Jr., =Glendale, Califl, assignor to AndersonyClayton & Co,, Houston, 'Tex. ,-a corporation of-Delaware I Application .Mayl, .1950, Serial No. 159,220

12 Claims. (Cl. 19--41) This invention relates ,to an improvement in delinters land .more particularly is an improvement of .the type of .delinter described and claimed in .the patent to I. B. .Ricker. .No. 2,310,598 issued .February 9, 1943, and reissued September 5, .1944.

The delinterof J. :B. .Rickenconstituteda considerable .advance in.the artnf .delinting, that is removing the lint from theseeds after the ginning operation, in which the motes and trash .and .minor portions of entrained lint are.first.removed from the saws'by centrifugal forceand subsequently the remaining portion ofthe :lint is removed .and concurrently therewith the minor portion of the lint entrained with the motes and .trash is recaptured and removed with the majorportion of the lint, the lint being collected by vacuum means by .which air is drawnthrough arestrictedropening between the saws and the enclosed underside thereof. 2

'While thedevel'opment of J. B. Ricker constituted a considerable advance in the art of delinting and such delinters are presentlygin widespread .use, in operation, although acertain amount of motes'and trash are discharged from the saw, an appreciable .amountof motes and trash, such as small ,hu'll ,particles with a string of lint attached, are collected withlthe linters and become entangled and-imbedded in the lint in the pneumaticcorn veyors .ntilized to transport the lint whereby [in the subseguent lint bea'tingoperation the removal of such trash and motes is exceedinglydifiicult. Moreovenlit has become"increasingly important and necessary to produce a cleaner lint for the chemical industry and lint containing' appreciable guantitiesofsmall hull particles are objectionable,particularly for use in chemical processes.

Accordingly, it is aprime object of .my,invention to provide a delinter of the Ricker type in which lint is collected by vacuum ,means andin which more motes and trash are removed during the delinting operation thereby preventing suchmotes and trash from becoming imbedded and entangled with the .collected linters and "thereby providing cleaner lint.

It is afurther and major object of my invention topro- 'vide a delinter "which operates under a negative headof pressure to collect the linters and in which additional motes, and trash ;are removed from both the lint gathering and mote Chambers. 7 Q

It is still 'aTurtherand more particular object of my invention to ,provide "a'lint collecting chamber adapted to be operated by vacuum means having slot means therein adapted to remove motes and trash ,andadapted .to be positioned immediately .under; the enclosed netherside of 't'nesaws which is .of extremely simple design, is inexpensive and easily manufactured andeasily secured to delinters collecting lint "from the saws by vacuum means. g

It is still a further feature of .my invention toprovide a collecting chamber operable under vacuum which is extremely s'implejn design, devoid of complicated, and

.henceexpensive, fines and which maybe secured directly under the confined peripheral portion of the 'saws with- Patented .Mar. 20, 1956 'ice lout'the use of. curved and relatively long flue members extendingfrom .the saw chamber tothe lint collecting or air chamber.

, It is yet a further object toprovide an underneath moting attachment adapted to be secured directly :under the saw chamber-by a flueor-neck of minimum length whereby the lighter motes and trash are removedfrom the lint-collecting chamber before the former becomes entangled and imbedded with .the latter,

.It is still a furthenfeatureof my invention to produce a .lint substantially devoid of :small hull particles and trash which .is acceptable to the chemical industry-for use in variouschemical processes.

Other and further features and objects willtbe apparent from the following description of myi'nvention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, where numeral .10 designates .conventional frame .and support .ingmembers for the delinter, the latter including the hopper or feeder 12, a-roll box 14, a sawcylinder -16,a breast or seed :box .18, an overhead motin-g chamber'20 and a lint collecting or air chamber 22. v

Theehopperor feeder.1 2-is of conventional-design and has the .fluted .roll =24 adapted tosaid in ,conveying the seed intothe roll box .14. i

A .fioat 25 is ,provided in .the roll box 14' which includes theshaft .26 shaving-secured thereto the blades .28. Rotation of-the float 25 assists in turning the roll of seed in the rollrbox 14.

A bank of saws.3.0.a re mounted-on the saw shaft .32

disposed in thesaw cylinder 16, and aplurality of ribs 34 are disposedgbetween.thersaws .30 tohold back thelseed so thatthe. lintersmay be stripped from-them by means of the saws. While only .one .saw and rib .are shown it .is to be understood that valplurality.thereof, as isconventional, are'utilized. ."Ihebreast box .18 includes the longitudinally disposedvmembers .36 and 38 which are ver- 'tically adjustable by means of the .screws40 (only one being shown) and a lever, andlinkage, not shown.

The rakes or fingers 27 which .projectdaetween the saws "30 are rigidly secured to the seed board 29 and are adjustable to control the distance between the rakes 27 and the ribs .34 and .thereby regulate orcontrol the dischargeof seed into the opening 19.

Disposed at opposite ends of-the bank of saws are the end plates 44 which overlap the end saws of the bank and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. The upper front portions of these plates are .cut away, vas along thelines 46 and 48 to lie behind the breast 'box member .36 .and rearwardly and beneath the saw arbor, the lower portion of the ,platesalong the cutaway line 48 being spaced below the. .saw blades as to permit subse- 'quent adjustment of .the plates relative to'the saws. "The bottom portions of these plates extendforward into adjacency with the forward edges of the saws and underlie end collars, not shown, holding .the saws.

Disposed below .thebank of saws is my novel lint col- 'lecting or air chamber '22. The lint chamber 22 is of particular configuration and is substantially cylindrical in cross section and is longitudinally disposed below and connected "to the saw cylinder 16 by means of the =rel'a- 50 is provided at the upper portion of the chamber 22 I and a longitudinal aperture 58 is provided at the lower and rearward portion thereof and at substantially right angles to the aperture 50. Thus an air passage is provided extending to the underside of the saws 30 which provides a passage through which linters from the saws may pass into the lint carrying flue 54. A more detailed description of my novel lint collecting chamber is given later herein.

The underside of the saws are peripherally enclosed by the arcuately extending rearward 60 and forward 62 wing plates extending from the walls of the aperture 50. The rearward wing plate 60 terminates in the downwardly and rearwardly extending wing plate 64, which defines the lower opening of the upper mote chamber 20, and

the forward wing plate rests on the longitudinal member 38. In order that the saws may be sharpened or replaced and the wing plates 60 and 62 may closely conform at all times to the peripheries thereof, the wing plates are adjustably positioned as by the hinges 66, 68, the wing nuts 70, the lever and linkage 72 and the vertically adjustable supporting tie bolts 76. No more details of the adjustable features of the wing plates confining the lower portions of the saws, the mote chamber 20 and the adjustable features of the linting chamber 22 are given inasmuch as they form no part of my invention and are adequately set forth in the above mentioned patent to 3. B. Ricker.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, my novel linting chamber 22 is substantially circular in cross section and has the slot 80 located at the forward point of the longitudinal aperture 58 disposed rearwardly in the chamber 22, which slot extends longitudinally across the aperture 58. I have found that the longitudinal aperture 80 may be satisfactorily fabricated by removing approximately 2 inches of the lower wall 57 of the flue aperture 52 and bending the removed portion at is central portion until the lip or baffle 82 extends approximately "73 of an inch above the level of the lower portion 57 of the flue aperture 52. I do not intend to be limited to these dimensions, but they have proved satisfactory in use. I

therethrough. Conventional securing means, such as a plurality of spacer clips 84 rigidly secures the upwardly and inwardly extending lip 82 in position. The upper portion of the lip or baffle 82 should be buffered and polished until smooth in order that no lint will be caught and retained thereby. Thus the slot 80 permits air to be drawn into the delinting chamber 22 which prevents the lint from escaping therethrough but light motes and trash, such as seed hulls and the like, are thrown therethrough. While the slot 80 may be disposed in any portion of the lower wall 57 of the lint gathering or air chamber 22 it is preferable to place the slot at the bottom and rearward portion thereof to prevent mote and trash from bypassing the slot, and it is particularly advantageous to place the slot directly behind the enlarged portion of the chamber 22 wherein circular air currents are set up and air is drawn directly into the rearward portion of the enlarged chamber 22 thereby permitting motes and trash to be thrown against the outer wall 57 by centrifugal force thereby separating the motes and trash from the lint, the motes and trash flowing along the bottom memher 57 with sutficient momentum to force them through the slot against the force of the incoming air.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of my devolpment wherein the only change is that the slot 80 is made adjustable by means of the hinge 86, the lip or baffie 82 being resiliently and yieldingly urged downwardly by the spring 83 against the adjusting means or screw assembly 88. The adjustable feature has some additional advantages over the rigid slot, such as during cleaning operations of the machine and in working extremely trashy seed where it is advantageous to vary the opening of the slot, and the like; however, after the desired angle is determined by pilot tests for the particular unit and seed to be worked, the rigid slot is believed to be as advantageous as the adjustable slot.

In operation cottonseed from the ginning operation is deposited into the feeder or hopper 12 and passed to the roll chamber 14. The lint is stripped from the seed by virtue of the bank of saws 30, the ribs or breastplates 34 holding back the seed so that the lint might be removed therefrom. The seed passes out of the opening 19 which provides one intake for air being drawn into the delinter by means of suitable vacuum means (not shown) disposed at the end of the lint conveying fine 54.

The heavier motes and trash are thrown into the mote chamber 20 by the centrifugal action of the saws and the air withdrawn through the confined passageway established by the wing extensions 60 and 62 in connection with the saws is drawn through the longitudinal fiue aperture into the lint or air chamber 22 and from the lint collecting or air chamber 22 into the lint fines 54, thus materially assisting the major portion of the lint to follow around with the saws and into the lint collecting chamber. The enlarged chamber 22 permits a swirling or whirling action which tends to throw the trash outwardly by centrifugal force and air sucked into the chamber through the longitudinal slot 80 is directed into the air current passing through the air chamber 22 whereby the trash not removed in the overhead moting chamber is thrown out of the slot by momentum against the force of the incoming air. Thus the lighter motes, such as hull particles with a string of lint attached thereto are removed from the lint chamber by means of a swirling or whirling action separating the motes from the iint by centrifugal force whereby the motes are thrown against the lower wall 57, the momentum thereof throwing the trash out of the slot against the force of the incoming air which aids in retaining the lint in the air chamber 22 for passage into the lint conveying flue 54. It should be noted that the forward 56 and lower wall members 57 of the chamber 22 are preferably smooth and the walls are tangential thereto.

Concurrently air is drawn in through the channelway established by the extension or Wing plate 62 in a direction opposed to the rotation of the saws which successfully checks and prevents, to a large extent at least, a carrying of any lint by the saws beyond the channelway leading downwardly into the air or lint collecting chamber 22. It seems manifest that the minor portion of lint entrained in or thrown by centrifugal action of the saws with the motes and trash in the mote chamber 20 will be drawn by the air current along the passageway formed by the wing and the lower portion of the saw bank 30, thus recapturing a substantial amount of the lint thrown into the mote chamber 20.

In actual practice it has been found that a delinter as above described without the slot removes four pounds of motes or trash per ton of normal seed worked when operated under normal conditions, such as 0.7 inch of water pressure measured at the back portion of the device drawing 1,350 C. F. M. of air at a velocity of 2500 ft. per minute therethrough. It has been found that the delinter without the slot 80 may be operated at a negative pressure of from 0.5 to 0.7 inch of water.

In operating a delinter under the same set of condienac -use =tions, that is "017 inch of water pressure meas'ured at the back of the device and the system drawing 1350 C. F. M.. of airat a-lvelocity -of 2500 .ft. perminute therethrough, ithas .been found that the underneath slot, that is slot 80 in the delinting chamber 22 recovered 2 /2 pounds of light motes-and trashperztomof seed}worked and thatsurprisingly the-overhead removal of motes and trash in the mote chamber 'was increased from 4 veying the lint thereby avoiding diflicult lint beating operations. While I do not wish to be boundby any theory of operation it appears that by bleeding in air in the slot 80 in the lint gathering chamber 22 that the velocity of the system is still maintained but at the same time there is less volume and velocity of air drawn through the saw chamber thereby permitting a larger volume of motes and trash to be thrown into the mote chamber 20 and by properly adjusting the opening of the latter it is still possible to recapture a substantial portion of the lint entrained and thrown with the motes into the mote chamber '20 by the centrifugal action of the saws 30.

It is exceedingly important and critical to place the slot means in the lint gathering or air chamber, and preferably at the rear and lower part thereof in order that there will be no by-passing of motes and trash and full advantage of the swirling or whirling action is obtained. Thus it is manifest that the exact location of the slot is of utmost importance in'recovering an optimum amount =such lint-gathering chamber being peripherally whirled whereby motes and trashare separated from the-lint by centrifugal force and the :motes and trash are thrown out of such lint-gathering chamber =through such slot means. V

2. The de linter 10f claim 1 wherein the slot means include a =ri'gid batile extending into the direction 'of air flow in the lint collecting chamber.

3."Ihe delinter-of claim 1 wherein the slot means include an adjustable baflle extending into the direction of air flow in 'thelint collecting chamber.

4. The delinter of claim 1 wherein the slot means is located in -the loWer--and rearward portion of-the lint collecting chamber.

5. In a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws and vacuum means to collect lint therefrom, a mote I. chamber disposed rearwardlyof said bank of saws having front and rear openings, the lower edge of its front opening being disposed at approximately shaft level of said bank of saws whereby motes and trash and minor portions of entrained lint are thrown into such mote chamber by centrifugal force of the saws, and having wall means peripherally enclosing the netherside of said bank of saws and defining a confined passageway substantially conforming to the periphery of such saws adapted to receive lint from such saws and entrained lint from the mote chamber, the improvement of an underneath moting chamber adapted to be connected 7 to the underside of the delinter and establish communi- It will be understood so long as the slot is located 7 that the motes and trash may be thrown through the slot means by a combination of centrifugal force and momentum against the force of the incoming air, thus preventing the lint from being thrown out through the slot means and thereby conveying the lint to the lint conveying lines 54 for subsequent operations.

I claim: 7

1. In a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws and vacuum means to collect lint therefrom, a mote chamber disposed rearwardly of said bank of saws having front and rear openings, the lower edge of its front opening being disposed at approximately shaft level of said bank of saws whereby motes and trash and minor portions of entrained lint are thrown into such mote chamber by centrifugal force of the saws, and having wall means peripherally enclosing the nether side of said bank of 'saws and defining a confined passageway substantially conforming to the periphery of such saws adapted to receive lint from such saws and entrained lint from the mote chamber, the improvement of a lint-gathering chamber disposed immediately under said bank of saws and communicating with such passageway, such lint-gathering chamber being substantially cylindrical, relatively short conduits tangentially connected to fprward and underside portions of said lint-gathering chamber and adapted to establish communication with such confined passageway and to a lint-conveying flue, and slot means longitudinally disposed in the lower portion of such lintgathering chamber whereby air being drawn through such delinter by such vaccum means will draw lint into such lint-gathering chamber, the air being drawn through cation with such confined passageway comprising, a lint gathering chamber substantially cylindrical, relatively short conduits tangentially connected to the forward and underside portions of said chamber and adapted to establish communication with such confined passageway and to a lint conveying flue, and slot means longitudinally disposed in the lower portion of such chamber whereby air being drawn through such delinter by such vacuum means will draw lint into such lint gathering chamber, the air being drawn through such lint gathering chamber being peripherally whirled whereby motes and trash are. separated from the lint by centrifugal force and the motes and trash are thrown out of such linting chamber through such'slot means.

a the direction of air flow through the lint gathering chamber.

7. The underneath moting chamber of claim 5 where in the slot means include an adjustable baflle extending into the direction of air flow through the lint gathering attachment.

8. The underneath moting chamber of claim 5 wherein the slot means is located in the lower and rearward portion of the lint gathering chamber leading tangentially to such lint conveying flue.

9. An underneath moting attachment adapted to be secured to the underside of a delinter operable to collect lint by vacuum means comprising, a substantially cylindrical lint-gathering chamber, a relatively short inlet conduit tangentially extending from a side wall of said chamber at substantially a right angle to the axis of the chamber adapted to establish communication with the underside of a saw cylinder of the delinter, a relatively short outlet conduit extending from the side wall of said chamber at substantially a right angle to the axis of the chamber and adapted to establish communi cation with a lint-carrying flue, a wall of'the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit merging with the side wall to form a smoothly continuous, generally L-shaped wall with a curved intermediate portion, viewed in crosssection, said L-shaped wall having a floor defined by the intermediate portion and the wall of the outlet conduit, and slot means longitudinally disposed in the floor so that air'drawn from the saw cylinder through such lint-gathering chamber is peripherally whirled whereby motes and trash are separated from the lint by centrifugal force and the motes and trash are thrown out of the lint-gathering chamber through the slot means and air drawn through the slot means assists in conveying the lint to the lint-carrying flue.

10. The underneath moting attachment of claim 9 wherein the slot means include a rigid bafiie extending into the direction of air flow through the lint gathering chamber.

11. The underneath moting attachment of claim 9 wherein the slot means include an adjustable baffle extending into the direction of air flow through the lint gathering attachment.

12. The underneath moting attachment of claim 9 where the slot means is located in the floor adjacent the outlet conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,542 Ricker Sept. 5, 1944 1,203,739 Hodo Nov. 7, 1916 1,265,014 West May 7, 1918 2,372,796 Rogers et a1. Apr. 3, 1945 2,622,280 Graebe Dec. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 295,563 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1928 

